Hrs Issues Finding In School Bus Fight

A Palm Beach County school bus driver`s possible involvement with a fight on her bus could have constituted neglect or abuse, the state Department of Health and Rehabilitative Services has ruled.

But HRS has no jurisdiction over the School Board, which is investigating the case.

And the bus driver now has the right to request that the HRS report be removed from the registry of abuse reports or request an amendment to the report.

In November, a Christa McAuliffe Middle School student`s knee was severely injured during a fight that started on the bus and continued at a bus stop.

Other students at the bus stop told Greenacres City police that the bus driver instigated the fight and left the injured student on the side of the road after the fight was over. The student`s parents complained and HRS investigated.

As a result, HRS, in a December finding, called the complaint ``confirmed,`` although it did not specify whether it was confirming neglect or abuse. The report was not available to show whether it focuses on the actual fight or the claim that the student was left injured at the bus stop.

There are three assessments HRS can make about a complaint: other than finding that neglect or abuse occurred, it can find it invalid or possible.

But Palm Beach County school district officials say the circumstances were not quite what was initially reported. And HRS standards for abuse or neglect may not take into account certain circumstances, school district attorney Abbey Hairston said.

``We`ve taken issue with HRS views in the past,`` she said. ``As far as their opinion, it`s not binding to the School Board. The parent has come to us assuming her child (did no wrong). There are a lot of other issues.``

She cited one case where HRS considered a report of abuse or neglect confirmed, and the teacher was later cleared in a jury trial.

And if the school district does find the bus driver was at fault, it doesn`t have to discipline her, she said. The district could refuse to renew the driver`s annual contract or the driver can request reassignment.

``I guess we`ll get this resolved,`` she said. ``We try to be real careful.``

The student`s mother, Fran Hourahan, said she has been trying to contact school district officials about her son`s injuries for months. She said she is upset that the driver did not notify anyone that her son was injured.

``She`s still driving buses has me upset,`` she said. ``She could have dispatched someone there. My child was injured and it wasn`t anything minor.``